Spend Time in Our Scary Place

Alfred Hitchcock once said, “There is a distinct difference between ‘suspense’ and ‘surprise’ … We are now having a very innocent little chat. Let’s suppose that there is a bomb underneath this table between us. Nothing happens, and then all of the sudden, ‘boom!’ There is an explosion. The public is surprised, but prior to this surprise, it has seen an absolutely ordinary scene of no special consequence. Now, let us take a suspense situation. The bomb is underneath the table and the public knows it, probably because they have seen the anarchist place is there. The public is aware the bomb is going to explode at one o’clock, and there is a clock in the decor. The public can see that it is a quarter to one. In these conditions, the same innocuous conversation becomes fascinating because the public is participating in the scene. The audience is longing to warn the characters on the screen, ‘you shouldn’t be talking about such trivial matters. There is a bomb beneath you and it is about to explode!'”

The horror genre takes time to develop; held in place by suspense, these stories creep into our imaginations and take hold, twisting the imaginary into perceived reality. Hitchcock illustrates it in the above quotation; the best horror takes hold of the audience’s attention, requiring participation. This active participation can be time-consuming—another characteristic of the genre.

But what happens if we want a little dose of horror to get through the day? Where should we turn? Horror blogs have been churning out quality content for years, and their free, accessible, and concise content is a great method for getting that quick, daily fix. Below, we have listed our top three horror blogs.

CreepyPasta—This website has spawned hundreds of terrifying tales, including Slenderman, The Russian Sleep, and Candle Cove. CreepyPasta is a collection of paranormal and scary short stories published anonymously on Reddit and 4chan imageboards. Now, readers and writers can submit their own “creepypasta” to be published and archived.

Skyway Bridge Jumpers—This website tells the true stories of those who have jumped to their deaths from this particular bridge. The site counts the number of suicides and provides short stories depicting and lives of the jumpers.

Terror Feed—This site hosts horror shorts and spooky trailers. With over 3,500 videos, you’re sure to find something terrifying enough to get you through the day. Additionally, Terror Feed is community-run and swears by the quality of its videos, meaning you may encounter a friend or two when looking for a scare.